Aquaculture has been identified as the most promising source of animal proteins worldwide, however, the industry is dominated by species that need to be actively fed, creating a growing need for feed resources, concerns about environmental impacts of uneaten feed and waste and food safety of the products with the possible development of pathogens. In Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) production, multiple aquatic species from different trophic levels are farmed together, and waste(s) from one species are used as fertilisers and food for other species, as in the natural ecosystems.
ASTRAL main goal is to increase value and sustainability for IMTA production by developing new, resilient, and profitable value chains, using four IMTA ‘labs’: open costal/offshore in Ireland and Scotland, flow-through inshore in South Africa and recirculation inshore in Brazil. These sites grow several species combinations such as fish, scallops, lobsters, oysters, urchins and seaweed. A prospective IMTA lab is also being assessed in Argentina. ASTRAL also aim to increase circularity to achieve zero-waste aquaculture systems, developing business models to increasing profitability. Risk posed by potential climate changes and emerging pollutant (microplastics, harmful algae blooms, pathogens) are assessed, together with the development of innovative technology to monitor the production and the interactions from/to the surrounding environment (specific sensors and biosensors, IoT and AI data analytics). Sharing knowledge and capacity development are ASTRAL priorities, to build a collaborative ecosystem along the Atlantic Ocean with industrial partners, SMEs, scientists, policy makers, social representatives and other relevant stakeholders.
